Effective Youth Ministry Strategies - PDF Flipbook
Effective Youth Ministry Strategies
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Effective Youth Ministry Strategies: 10 Keys for Impact By Terrace Crawford
When the topic of effective youth ministry strategies comes up, I think back to a testimony I heard years ago. A missionary shared how he felt God’s call overseas to a group of people who needed Christ. He shared candidly how he nearly gave up after ministering for 16 years (!) without seeing any fruit. I’ve felt like that missionary so many times. And I consistently hear from other people in the trenches who are so close to giving up. Bottom line: Youth leaders often don’t feel as if we’re being effective in ministry. As a result, we want to quit. That’s why I want to share these highly effective youth ministry strategies. Throughout the years, they’ve helped me maintain maximum impact. Equipping pastors to equip leaders for life
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1. Prayer Unlike many lists where prayer lands at the bottom, I’d suggest it’s the master key. Without prayer, you can’t be effective and remain in ministry for the long haul. Don’t ever underestimate the power of prayer. The conclusion of the missionary’s testimony was powerful. After a 16-year wait, God brought revival to those people. Hundreds accepted Christ because of this person’s faithfulness and prayers.
2. Vision In every ministry I’ve been part of, I’ve been more effective when I’ve clearly communicated my vision. This involves communicating to the people I partner with and to those I minister to. As the scriptures say, “Where there is no vision the people perish” (Proverbs 29:18). If you want to be effective in ministry, make sure you communicate where you’re going and how you plan to get there.
3. Disciple One of the very last commands of Jesus before leaving Earth was for us to “go and make disciples” (Mattnew 28:19). If we follow this command and reach those who don’t know Christ and disciple them, we will be effective because we are doing what Christ told us to do.
4. Share Look for opportunities in your church or organization to create intergenerational experiences. Bring youth and adults together for Bible study, fellowship and worship. Also, don’t hesitate to lend yourself to other ministries within your church or community. Sharing your gifts and heart with others outside the student ministry only helps you.
5. Team When they work as a team, youth workers increase their effectiveness. You may have heard it said “It takes a village to raise a child.” Well, I believe it takes a village to make an effective youth ministry. This includes volunteers, student leaders, parents, etc.
6. Research Knowing your audience and their culture helps bring clarity to your vision and work. Today’s teens are in a subculture all their own. For you to be effective in ministry, you need to understand it. Help bridge the gap between their world and the world of youth ministry.
Equipping pastors to equip leaders for life
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Researching the culture helps you stay relevant. Plus, it equips you to teach students how to reach their friends.
7. Administration Youth workers are leaders. The work requires that you lead, manage and give vision to the ministry. It doesn’t mean your greatest gift is “administration.” It may mean recruiting people around you to help you manage the ministry God has given you. That, in turn, will position you to be effective.
8. Mentor One of the best decisions I ever made was to ask someone to mentor me. You need someone to be your coach, cheerleader and prayer partner. A great mentor will do this for you. And you’ll be better for having that person in your life.
9. Network I often worry about youth workers who aren’t connected with other people in the trenches. Youth ministry isn’t a field for lone rangers. Trust me on this. If you’re connected with other youth workers and regularly share ideas and pray for each other, you’ll be more effective than going it alone.
10. Development If you want to be effective, you must become a lifelong learner. A healthy youth ministry requires a leader who invests in personal development. So read books and blogs, interact with others, acquire new resources, and learn new ways of practicing ministry.
Equipping pastors to equip leaders for life
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